Idaho Legislature Passes Bill to Inform Women the Abortion Pill Can Be Reversed and Their Baby Saved

When, as expected, Gov. Butch Otter signs SB 1243, Idaho will join Utah, Arkansas, South Dakota, and Arizona in updating their informed consent packet so that women will know they may change their mind about a chemical abortion half-way through the two-drug technique—the Abortion Pill Reversal.

Yesterday on a vote of 55-11, the Idaho House joined the Senate, which had earlier passed SB 1243 on an equally overwhelming vote of 29-6. In both houses the vote was straight party-line: all Republicans in favor, all Democrats opposed.

Chemical abortions [“RU-486”] involve two drugs: Mifeprex, taken at the abortion clinic, and then 48-72 hours later, misoprostol, a prostaglandin. The Abortion Pill Reversal technique is premised on the woman not taking the second drug and being given large dosages of progesterone in order to counteract the effect of the first pill.

According to all media accounts, the debate Monday in the House was fiery. Pro-abortion Democrats charged that the technique was unethical and unproven. Tell that to the mothers of over 300 healthy babies who have been saved by this reversal protocol and the over 100 women are currently pregnant awaiting delivery.

Credit goes to Betsy Russell of the Spokesman-Review who provided many quotes from House speakers on both sides.

“These are babies we’re talking about,” Rep. Karey Hanks told the House. “It’s difficult, it’s almost impossible for me to speak because I feel this so strongly. These aborted, these are pre-born babies. I just want to remind us who are Republicans that in our platform, it talks about right to life, that we reaffirm our support for the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.”

Rep. Barbara Ehardt said

“What a humbling and historic opportunity we have right now … to give them hope again … to restore life, to be a mother… Truly this is historic, why wouldn’t we want to be a part of this today, why wouldn’t we want to be a part of something that could potentially change lives? … Life is precious and we should know that,” she said. “Please vote life.”

Russell reported that Rep. John VanderWoude added he was moved by what he saw at the committee hearing on the bill.

“I don’t know what more evidence we need that it works, if you see a healthy child standing right there in front of you,” he said.

Right to Life of Idaho is solidly behind SB1243. National Right to Life’s state affiliate has explained that

*A woman has the right to know if she changes her mind after taking the first abortion pill, RU-486, that there is a possibility that she may be able to reverse the chemical abortion procedure.

*That is all that S1243 intends to do. It simply helps inform women about the abortion pill reversal procedure if she changes her mind. The choice is still hers to make.

*Abortion Pill Reversal has been developed by pro-life doctors and researchers. It has proven to be safe and effective. Dr. Matthew Harrison, the APR Medical Director, has stated that when women are given the opportunity to reverse the effect of the abortion pill, they are extremely grateful for a second chance to save their baby.

* The 2,500 member American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians and Gynecologists s